Man, 42, put on probation in sex case involving teen

July 24, 1996

A 42-year-old east Columbia man was given a one-year suspended sentence and five years of probation Monday for sexually touching his 14-year-old baby-sitter.

Thomas Marion Orrson of Allview Estates pleaded guilty to a fourth-degree sex offense for rubbing the teen-ager's thigh and hugging her "for an extremely long period of time," according to court records.

Aside from the probation, Orrson's sentence includes sex offender evaluation and treatment, and no unsupervised contact with children under the age of 18.

In November, court records say, Orrson picked the teen-ager up from her home to baby-sit his infant son. In the car, he rubbed her thigh and tried to kiss her. Later he hugged her.

Afterward, he dropped her at home, gave her $10 and told her not to tell anyone, according to the records.